080808

T'is 080808 today, a once in a century occurence, it seemed. The last time it was 080808 was in the year 1908 , a century ago and the next time it will be 080808 will be in the year 2108, a century later.

As such, many cashed in on this so called 'auspicious' day (as many chinese would believe it to be since the number '8' is almost homonymous to 'prosperous' in chinese) -hence the opening of the Beijing Olympics on this day and, here in our homeland, we have the grand 8million dollar Toto draw.

i have always loathed Toto and 4D. i remembered having no money to pay for my school fees when i was a kid because my father had spent all his money betting on 4D and so even though my entire family still indulge religiously in punting on these every week, i've refused stubbornly to participate.

However, i do once in a blue moon, when asked by my colleagues to pool for a particular draw, oblige. Even that , is probably once in a few years and my part is only to hand over the max $5 i'm willing to part with. i have never known how to 'buy' Toto or 4D on my own for that matter.

Today, however, i've walked into a Toto outlet, and placed my first personal solo bet on Toto.

i've no inspired numbers, cos i've only decided to queue because i was early for work. The queue was long and i waited almost half an hour before i got to the counter. Whilst queuing, the older lady behind me was giving a lesson on how to play Toto and 4D to the 2 younger ladies who were with her,and it gave a green horn like me a better idea of what to do at the counter. Obviously she's a seasoned punter, betting on every possible inspired number such as the number of people in the queue to the number of minutes she had been queuing.

A man walked past and made fun of the people in the queue saying something like : wah, free one, sure win one hor!
The punter behind me was angry and retorted but i actually quite agreed with the man's mockery. Indeed, the length of queue would easily suggest some free good is being distributed or that it's a sure win draw.

i've always believed the big sweeps, toto sand 4Ds are but legalized big money making scams. Still millions fall for it, not because it's a sure win, nor that it's free, but for a hope, a hope to get them what they want, be it a home, a marriage, a business, a title, an education , a car, a clearance of debt,.....etc

i've never believed in wasting money down the drain for such hopes. But, today, driven by a desperation so great,i too, like many of those in the queue, queued and walked into the outlet to pay for a hope. The desperation to be freed from having to remain in a job environment i dread and to be freed from all financial burdens i've to shoulder, so great it drove me to do something i've loathed doing for all of my life- pay the price of 2 lunches for a tiny piece of paper that could mean a change of destiny for me or yet another hope crushed.

080808, ‘定发定发定发’-meaning thrice , sure strike, may it be an auspicious day too for me, i am desperate.